Device for catching and throwing balls



R. J. KIDENEY DEVICE FOR CATCHING AND THRCSWING BALLS Jan. 26 1926.

Filed Jan. 16, 1922 Ir1vn7or Patented Jan. 26, 1926.

UNITED s A'rEs ROBERT J. KIDENEY, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

DEVICE FOR CATGHING AND THROWING BALLS.

Application filed January 16, 1922. I Serial No. 529,435.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, ROBERT J. KIDENEY, a citizen of the United States, residing in Buffalo, in the countyof Erie and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Devices for Catching and Throwing Balls, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device for catching and throwing balls and has the object to produce a device of this character which will cause a bell or signalsounding device to be operated when a ball is caught and thus adds novelty to the game of catching and throwing the ball as well as increasing the interest in the same. p

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a perspectiveview showing the manner in which a person uses this device in the act of catching the ball.- Figure 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of this device with a part of the cone-shapedreceptacle broken away. Figure 3 is a cross section, taken. on,,line S-3,.Fig. 4, looking toward the large end of the conical receptacle. Figure 4 isan end, view of the device from the large endof the conical receptacle. Figure 5 is a. fragmentary sectional view, on an enlarged scale, showing the construction of thebell mechanism which is operated by a ball entering the conical receptacle. Figure 6 is a. side elevation of the ball throwing and catching device viewed from the side containing the lateral ball opening therein. Figure 7 is a perspective view showing a modified form of the large end of thereceptacle.

Similar characters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views.

In its general construction this device consists of a hollow receptacle into which a ball is adapted to enter for catching the same from which the ball is adapted to be projected for throwing the same, a handle for manipulating this receptacle and a signal device is adapted to be operated by the v entrance of aball intothe receptacle.

In its preferred form the receptacle, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6, is made in the form of a cone 10 of sheet metal or other suitable material, the large end of the cone being opened for the entrance and exit of the ball 11 which is to be caught and thrown, the handle 12 is preferably constructed of wood and secured at its front end in the small end of the conical receptacle by means of screws 13, as shown in preferably of skeleton or open-work form and composed of two curved strips 14 of metal or other suitable material which cross each other at right angles and are dished inwardly so as to form an inwardly depressed pocket on which the ball maybe seated. The strips forming this pocket have their outer ends constructed in the form of hooks 15 which pass outwardly through openings in the adjacent parts of the wallet the conical receptacle and are securedthereto by means of rivets 16 or other suitable means. The diameter of this pocket is greater than the diameter of the ball which is to be caught, as shown in Fig. 2,. so that when thisball is seated in this pocket, the ball is not liable to become jammed therein which otherwise would render its removal difficult. l/Vhen a conical receptacle is made com: paratively' long it is preferable to provide the side wall of the same in front of the ball seat. or"pocket,;with an opening 17 through which the ball may be passed for either introducing the same into the receptacle or removing the same therefrom. This enables persons who have comparatively shortarms and whormay find it somewhat inconvenient while holding the device by one hand to either introduce or remove the ball at the large end of the receptacle, to use this device with the same facility as persons with long arms. 1

Associated with this ball catching and throwing device is a sounding device which is adapted to be operated by the ball enter ing the receptacle and engaging with the seat thereof. The form of sounding device which is shown in the drawings, as an example of one suitable for this purpose, comprises a bell 18 which is arranged within the conical receptacle between the ball seat and the small end of the cone and secured with its crown to the front end of the handle by means of a screw 19, an operating lever of L-shape arranged between the rear side of the ball seat and the bell and pivoted by means of a pin 20 on the rear side of the seat and having its rear arm 21 arranged lengthwise and provided with a hammer 22 which is adapted to engage with the inner side of the bell or gong 18 while its front arm 23 is arranged transversely and provided with a tappet 24 which projects forwardly through an opening in the ball seat and a spring 25 arranged on the rear side of the seat and secured at one end thereto, while its opposite end engages with the front arm of the lever and turns the latter in the direction in which the hammer 22 is moved away from the bell and the tappet 2 1- is projected forwardly beyond the face of the ball seat, as shown in Fig. 5. As a ball enters the receptacle and hits the face of the seat, the same also engages with the tappet 2 1- and pushes the same rearwardly thereby causing the hammer to strike the bell and give a signal. This device is therefore not only useful as a ball game for catching a ball which is thrown by another person, as well throwing a ball to another person, but interest is added to the game by reason of the fact that when the ball is caught a signal is given which is heard by allthe persons participating in the game and thus avoids any misunderstanding as to whether or not the ball was properly caught.

If desired one side of the large end of the receptacle may be provided with an extension or lip 26, as shown in Fig. 7, which permits a person to catch a ball with this device while holding the latter substantially at right angles to the direction from which the ball is coming and holding the device crosswise of the path of the ball and with the lip 26 on the rear side thereof so as to intercept the ball and direct the same into the receptacle.

This device can be produced at compara tively low cost, and is very useful in encouraging persons to engage in an active pastime, which promotes health and sport.

ball comprising a hollow cone shaped receptacle having its large front end open to form an inlet through which the ball enters and leaves the receptacle while the rear small end is closed and of a diameter which is larger than the ball so that the latter will not become lodged frictionally in the receptacle, and means for giving an audible indication when a ball enters the receptacle and reaches the bottom of the same, said means comprising a bell mounted Within the small end of the receptacle, and a striking mechanism for sounding said bell arranged in the small end of the receptacle and including a trigger adapted to be engaged and shifted by the ball upon reaching the small end of the receptacle and a hammer operatively connected with the trigger and adapted to strike the bell.

3. A device for catching and throwing a ball comprising a hollow receptacle having an inlet at one end and a handle at its other end, a bell arranged in the small end of the receptacle, an operating lever pivotally supported within the small end of said receptacle and provided on one arm with a hammer adapted to'engage the bell and on its other arm with a tappet adapted to be engaged by the ball which is caught, and a spring for turning said lever in the direction for disengaging saidhammer from the bell.

ROBERT J. KIDENEY. 

